Corrosion preventing air drier



Aug. 18, 1964 Q. C. NORTQN CORROSION PREVENTING AIR DRIER Filed March 1,1961 F/G. Z

1N VEIV T01? OR C/A/R NORTON United States Patent 3,145,193? CQRRQSHGNPREVENTING AIR DRHER rlo Clair Norton, 544 Virginia Ave, Erie, Pa.

Filed Mar. 1, 1961, tier. No. 92,696 ll Claim. (Ci. 55-281) Thisinvention relates to air driers and humidifier and, more particularly,to the type of air drier commonly known as a deliquescent type airdrier.

Air driers of the type disclosed herein wherein a chemical is utilizedto remove the moisture from air are usu ally tanks made of steel and thechemicals used to remove the moisture are usually corrosive to thesteel. It has been discovered that by utilizing metallic zinc in the airdrier, the corrosive effect of the chemicals on the steel tank arereduced, if not eliminated.

A problem exists, however, in supporting the zinc so that it can bedetermined how much metallic zinc is remaining in the tank and in aposition that it will be disposed at the center of the chemicalmaterials and, therefore, be most effective.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide animproved tank wherein metallic zinc can be supported to act as a rustinhibitor.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved air drier.

A further object of the invention is to provide an air drier which issimple in construction, economical to manufacture, and simple andefiicient in operation.

With the above and other objects in View, the present invention consistsof the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularlypointed out in the appended claim, it being understood that changes maybe made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details ofconstruction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of theadvantages of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a top view of the shape of metallic zinc used in combinationwith the air drier disclosed herein;

FIG. 1a is a side view of the shape of metallic zinc; and

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of the air drier accordingto the invention.

Now with more particular reference to the drawing, an air drier is shownhaving a generally cylindrical tank with an inlet valve 11 and an outletvalve 12 for connecting to a compressed air line in which air is to bedehumidified. The tank llll has a drain valve 13 at the bottom and adesiccant inlet opening 14 which is sealed by a removable cover 15having a lock nut 16 which clamps it to a clamp bar 17 to seal thedevice air tight and to allow a chemical material 18 to be introduced toreplenish it as it is used up.

A partition 18a extends completely across the tank 11 and divides itinto an inlet chamber 19 and an out- 3,ll-5,hh Patented Aug. 18, lfifi llet chamber 2%. An opening 21 provides an air passage from the inletchamber to the outlet chamber and a baffle 22 is supported on pedestal23 which may have a screen wire around it to prevent the chemicalmaterial from falling down through the inlet chamber.

A post 24 is fixed at its lower end to the baffle 22 and extendsupwardly therefrom. This post is received in the holes in metallic zincmembers 2.6 which have a hole 2'7 therethrough so that the hole receivesthe post 24.

During operation, the inlet valve 11 and outlet valve 12 are connectedin a compressed air line. When zinc members are to be added to replacethose used up, the operator will remove the cover 15 and support thezinc metallic members 26 over the post 24. He will then fill a suitableamount of chemical such as sodium chloride pellets impregnated withcalcium chloride into the drier and turn the Valves 11 and 12 on so thatair will flow therethrough. Moisture from the air will collect onparticles of the chemical and it will dissolve and a solution 29 of thechemical and water will collect in the bottom of the tank 10. Thissolution can be drained oii as time goes by. A pipe 36* has a curved endso that the air will enter the tank at a tangent to the inside and aswirling action will be induced in the bottom of the tank andconsiderable moisture will be thrown out at this point.

The chemical may be any suitable soluble salt coated with calciumchloride or a similar hygroscopic material.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferredpractical forms but the structure shown is capable of modificationWithin a range of equivalents Without departing from the invention whichis to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with theappended claim.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

An air drier comprising a tank having an inlet and an outlet spaced fromeach other, a partition between said inlet and said outlet dividing saidtank into an inlet section and an outlet section, said partition havingan opening therethrough, a bafile over said opening, a desiccantsupported on said bafile, a desiccant inlet in the top of said tank, aremovable cover on said tank closing said desiccant inlet, a postattached to said baflle and extending generally perpendicular therefrom,zinc metallic flat washers on said post, and a drain at the bottom ofsaid tank for draining out the solution of desiccant and water removedfrom the air.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,376,691 Hartman May 3, 1921 2,571,062 Robinson et a1. Oct. 9, 1951FOREIGN PATENTS 154,142 Australia Nov. 16, 1953

